Maui Bus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Parent | Maui County |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Wailuku, Hawaii |
| Service area | Maui County, Hawaii |
| Service type | bus service, paratransit, express bus service |
| Routes | 12 regular[1] 4 commuter[2] |
| Fuel type | Diesel |
| Operator | Roberts Hawaii |
| Website | Bus Service Information |
Maui Bus is the public transportation service of the island of Maui, Hawaii, and is operated by Roberts Hawaii under a public-private partnership with Maui County government. They operate 13 regular local bus routes and 4 commuter routes, which have a single early morning run and a return trip in the afternoon.
2023 Wildfires
The first public transit service on Maui started in 1992 with two loop routes in Central Maui operated by the non-profit organization Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO).[3]: 4 These were operated over the same route in opposite directions, offered free of charge with a suggested donation.[3]: 21
The Maui Bus service was started as the Holo Kaʻa service in August 2002 with a joint venture between the private company Akina Aloha Tours, MEO, and the county government in a subsidized joint venture to provide bus service for South, West, and Central Maui.[4] Low ridership (blamed on the lack of advertising for the system) led to Akina Aloha Tours losing $1 million over the following two years.[5]
Service was reduced in July 2004 to five transit routes: three operated by Roberts Hawaii, one by Akina Aloha Tours (privately financed), and the one bidirectional route by MEO.[3]: 4, 19 The Roberts routes were named Routes A, B, and C: Route A operated between Maʻalea Harbor Village and the Shops at Wailea via Kihei [which is now Route #15]; Route B connected Kahului to Wharf Cinema Center (in Lahaina) via Maʻalea [now Route #20]; and Route C connected the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center with the Shops at Wailea [now Route #10].[3]: 21 The MEO routes served Central Maui (Wailuku and Kahului) with a loop route operated in opposite directions [now Routes #1/2 and #5/6].[3]: 21 The Akina Aloha route operated between Kaʻanapali and Lahaina [now Route #28].[3]: 22 [6]: ES-1
The Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) published in January 2005 evaluated contemporary demand and service conditions and developed the current fixed routes, including the expansion of service to Upcountry Maui.[3]: 58–66 The 2005 SRTP also developed the branding and logo of Maui Bus,[3]: 89–91 which began operations in 2006; the fixed and commuter routes are operated by Roberts Hawaii, while the paratransit services are operated by MEO.[6]: ES-1 Ridership rose sharply over the ten years between 2002 and 2012, from less than 200,000 (annual passengers) to more than 2,500,000.[6]: ES-2, ES-3
Due to the 2023 Hawaii wildfires, fare collection was suspended from 23 August 2023 until 31 January 2024. Due to evacuations in Lahaina, routes 20, 23, 25, and 28 were discontinued and replaced with a temporary route 29, running express from Kahului to Kaʻanapali (with a stop in Ma'alaea) via the Lahaina bypass before continuing along the former route 28. On 5 November 2023, a stop at Lahiana Cannery Mall was added to route 29, and a modified route 23, providing limited local service in Lahiana, was reintroduced.[7]
Service
Fleet
ElDorado Aero Elite Bus.
ElDorado Aero Elite bus
| Year | Qty | Image | Make | Model | Capacity | Lift or Ramp | Wheelchair Tie-downs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 7 | |
ElDorado National | E-Z Rider II | 37 | Ramp | 4 | |
| 2010 | 5 |  |
||||||
| 2014 | 10 |  |
ElDorado National | AXESS | 32 | Ramp | 2 | |
| 2015 | 4 |  |
ElDorado National | Aero Elite | 25 | Lift | 2 | |
| 2019 | 2 |  |
ElDorado National | AXESS BRT | 32 | Ramp | 2 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 32 | Ramp | 2 |
| Year | Qty | Image | Make | Model | Capacity | Lift or Ramp | Wheelchair Tie-downs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 | Alexander Dennis | Enviro500 | 81 | Ramp | 2 | ||
| 2007 | 6 |  |
ElDorado National | AXESS | 41 | Ramp | 2 |
Retired in 2020 |
| 2011 | 1 | ElDorado National | Aero Elite | 25 | Lift | 2 | ||
| 2013 | 1 | ARBOC | Spirit of Mobility | 17 | Ramp | 4 |
Fares
Cash fares are $2.00 per person per boarding. No transfers are given, but a day pass, at $4.00 per person, is valid on all routes. An all-route monthly pass is available at a cost of $45.00, with reduced rates of $30.00 for students and $25.00 for seniors (defined as 55 and over) and disabled holders of a valid Medicare card.[1]
